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§ THE GLASS FACTORY. §
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@¤$§†»^... SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ...^»†§$¤@
@@¤$§†»^.. STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ..^»†§$¤@@
#@@¤$§†»^. FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR .^»†§$¤@@#
@@¤$§†»^.. THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ..^»†§$¤@@
@¤$§†»^... AND A GIFT SHOP. ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... CONSIDERED POOR. ...^»†§$¤@
@@¤$§†»^.. ..^»†§$¤@@
#@@¤$§†»^. THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, .^»†§$¤@@#
@@¤$§†»^.. DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ..^»†§$¤@@
@¤$§†»^... YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ...^»†§$¤@
@@¤$§†»^.. SOME ARE SHATTERED. ..^»†§$¤@@
#@@¤$§†»^. .^»†§$¤@@#
@@¤$§†»^.. THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ..^»†§$¤@@
@¤$§†»^... A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ...^»†§$¤@
@@¤$§†»^.. ..^»†§$¤@@
#@@¤$§†»^. §§ .^»†§$¤@@#
@@¤$§†»^.. §§ §§ ..^»†§$¤@@
@¤$§†»^... »»»»»»» § § »»»»»»» ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... §§ §§ ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... §§ .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ...^»†§$¤@
@@¤$§†»^.. OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ..^»†§$¤@@
#@@¤$§†»^. OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD .^»†§$¤@@#
@@¤$§†»^.. DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ..^»†§$¤@@
@¤$§†»^... BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ...^»†§$¤@
@@¤$§†»^.. ..^»†§$¤@@
#@@¤$§†»^. HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE .^»†§$¤@@#
@@¤$§†»^.. HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ..^»†§$¤@@
@¤$§†»^... IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ...^»†§$¤@
@@¤$§†»^.. ..^»†§$¤@@
#@@¤$§†»^. THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT .^»†§$¤@@#
@@¤$§†»^.. HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ..^»†§$¤@@
@¤$§†»^... LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ...^»†§$¤@
@@¤$§†»^.. ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ..^»†§$¤@@
#@@¤$§†»^. LIT FROM BEHIND. .^»†§$¤@@#
@@¤$§†»^.. ..^»†§$¤@@
@¤$§†»^... I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ...^»†§$¤@
@@¤$§†»^.. AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ..^»†§$¤@@
#@@¤$§†»^. OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. .^»†§$¤@@#
@@¤$§†»^.. ..^»†§$¤@@
@¤$§†»^... §§ ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... §§ §§ ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... »»»»»»» § § »»»»»»» .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... §§ §§ ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... §§ ...^»†§$¤@
@@¤$§†»^.. ..^»†§$¤@@
#@@¤$§†»^. MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE .^»†§$¤@@#
@@¤$§†»^.. STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ..^»†§$¤@@
@¤$§†»^... IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ...^»†§$¤@
@@¤$§†»^.. SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ..^»†§$¤@@
#@@¤$§†»^. PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. .^»†§$¤@@#
@@¤$§†»^.. ..^»†§$¤@@
@¤$§†»^... THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ...^»†§$¤@
@@¤$§†»^.. HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ..^»†§$¤@@
#@@¤$§†»^. SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO .^»†§$¤@@#
@@¤$§†»^.. THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ..^»†§$¤@@
@¤$§†»^... IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ...^»†§$¤@
@@¤$§†»^.. WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ..^»†§$¤@@
#@@¤$§†»^. CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS .^»†§$¤@@#
@@¤$§†»^.. BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ..^»†§$¤@@
@¤$§†»^... FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ...^»†§$¤@
@@¤$§†»^.. FLOOR. ..^»†§$¤@@
#@@¤$§†»^. .^»†§$¤@@#
@@¤$§†»^.. HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ..^»†§$¤@@
@¤$§†»^... KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ...^»†§$¤@
@@¤$§†»^.. THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ..^»†§$¤@@
#@@¤$§†»^. .^»†§$¤@@#
@@¤$§†»^.. I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ..^»†§$¤@@
@¤$§†»^... WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ...^»†§$¤@
@@¤$§†»^.. BECOME STILL. ..^»†§$¤@@
#@@¤$§†»^. .^»†§$¤@@#
@@¤$§†»^.. §§ ..^»†§$¤@@
@¤$§†»^... §§ §§ ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... »»»»»»» § § »»»»»»» ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... §§ §§ .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... §§ ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... ...^»†§$¤@
@@¤$§†»^.. A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ..^»†§$¤@@
#@@¤$§†»^. AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M .^»†§$¤@@#
@@¤$§†»^.. BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ..^»†§$¤@@
@¤$§†»^... STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ...^»†§$¤@
@@¤$§†»^.. ..^»†§$¤@@
#@@¤$§†»^. SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER .^»†§$¤@@#
@@¤$§†»^.. THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ..^»†§$¤@@
@¤$§†»^... GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ...^»†§$¤@
¤$§†»^.... I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ....^»†§$¤
$§†»^..... THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? .....^»†§$
¤$§†»^.... ....^»†§$¤
@¤$§†»^... I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ...^»†§$¤@
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